Portrayal On Stage & Screen
- In the Sissi films (1955–1957), Vilma Degischer played the part of Sophie as a chillingly strict mother-in-law of the young Empress. The stereotype of Sophie as an uptight and spiteful villain seems to have spread from these films.
- In the 1974 miniseries, The Fall of Eagles, Sophie was portrayed by English actress Pamela Brown.
- Mayerling, a 1978 ballet by Kenneth MacMillan, features Sophie in a slightly more sympathetic light.
- Elisabeth, a 1992 musical by Michael Kunze about the life of Empress Elisabeth, where Sophie is portrayed as a malevolent intriguer, out to ruin her daughter-in-law's life by any possible means, though more recent productions have somewhat softened her character with additional scenes and a song that give more insight into Sophie's complex motivations and personality.
- In Sissi, l'impératrice rebelle, a 2004 French television film, Sophie was played by Stéphane Audran.
- In the 2009 European mini-series Sisi, Martina Gedeck portrayed Sophie in one of the more balanced interpretations of the character.
Read more about this topic: Princess Sophie Of Bavaria
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